The water crisis is gaining momentum all over the globe. The crisis has hit hard in cities like Cape Town, Karachi, etc. The paucity of water is alarming, and it is essentially required to address the issue giving it the highest priority. Recently, cities like Bangalore, Delhi and many more are kept under the watch due to the rising deterioration of drinking water likely to cause water scarcity in future.
The national capital is no alien to the water crisis, and with approaching summers the city faces the shortage of water. The major water dependency of the people of Delhi is from Haryana. With polluted and dry Yamuna, the water facilities in Delhi are either partially functional or completely dysfunctional. This has led to a severe water crisis in the city.
The Government of NCT of Delhi recently moved to the Hon’ Supreme Court of India seeking directions to order Haryana Government of releasing 450 cusecs of potable water daily to Wazirabad Water Barrage to supply to Delhi. The petition is moved by the Kejriwal Government alleging that Haryana by not fulfilling its obligation of supplying water to Delhi is in violation of the 1996 Apex Court directions.
The bench comprising of Hon’ Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud agreed to hear the petition on 2nd April 2018. The petition categorically seeking directions from the Court to stop the impending water crisis in the city. The Delhi Jal Board has accused the Haryana government of violating the 1996 directions of the Court and demands supply of 450 cusecs of water to avert drinking water crisis instead of the present supply of 120 cusecs.
